About Us

promoting self-sufficiency and positive community involvement

For close to 50 years, 

Peace Neighborhood Center has piloted and maintained programs for children, families, and individuals to promote self-sufficiency and positive community involvement. We are proud to report that since 1971, we have provided critical services and opportunities to more than 16,000 people in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. Through a wide range of comprehensive programs, Peace helps people discover options, enhance skills, and make choices that promote education, health, well-being, and fiscal independence.

Our services include: advocacy, emergency assistance, after-school programs, summer day camps, college and career preparation, individual and family counseling, and family enrichment.

Our Mission

Peace Neighborhood Center’s mission is to provide programs for children, families, and individuals who are affected by social and economic problems. Peace helps people discover options, enhance skills, and make choices that lead to self-sufficiency and positive community involvement.

Our Vision

A community where personal growth, opportunity and diversity are constant; the cycle of poverty and social and economic inequality has been broken.

Guiding Principles

  1. We value openness, consultation, diversity and inclusion.
  2. We are not impulse-driven. We prioritize our programs. We create and implement new ideas for optimum effectiveness.
  3. We focus on nurturing our clients to reach their highest potential.
  4. We employ competent, motivated people. We provide them with the training, tools, environment, and opportunities to succeed with our clients.
  5. We focus on what we do best and collaborate with others who are “best in class”.
  6. We value involvement and inclusion by donors and sponsors.
  7. Issues of inequality are addressed in a way that helps the community learn, heal and change.
  8. We change people’s lives.

Peace Neighborhood Center’s Five Rules of Success

  1. Respect Everyone and Everything
  2. Listen
  3. Follow Directions
  4. Cooperation
  5. Think and Respond Appropriately

Organizational History

1956
January 1

Peace Lutheran Church builds a house chapel at 1111 N. Maple Road.

chapel
1967
January 1

“Big Building” is built for Peace Lutheran Church sanctuary

1969
January 1

Low-cost public housing built on North and South Maple

1970
January 1

Tension in the community divides the neighborhood

Public housing residents and private homeowners need a place to meet and discuss concerns.
1971
January 1

Neighbors and churches decide to establish Peace Neighborhood Center as a self-governing, non-profit community center

Trinity Lutheran Church and Zion Lutheran Church provide the building.
1974
January 1

Summer Day Camp is established

1976
January 1

Rose Martin becomes Executive Director

1977
January 1

Job program is established

1980
January 1

First Awards Night. Alternatives for Youth Program begins

1985
January 1

Peace Neighborhood Center becomes a United Way Agency

1986
January 1

Peace expands programs to include all of Ann Arbor

1988
January 1

Substance Abuse program begins

1992
January 1

South Maple Breakfast program begins

1995
January 1

Peace Neighborhood Center expands programs to all of Washtenaw County

PNC joins F.U.N., Families of United Neighborhoods
1996
January 1

PNC receives Substance Abuse Prevention Program license

1997
January 1

PNC joins BUILD and CAP begins

BUILD (Building, Unity, Independence, Leadership, and Development), a substance abuse prevention collaboration, and CAP (Computer Access Program)
1998
January 1

Performance Arts Academy and LEAD (Learning, Experiencing, and Achieving Dreams) begin

1999
January 1

College & Career Prep Club (CCPC) begins

2000
January 1

Zion and Trinity Lutheran Churches donate the building and land

Donated to PNC as a leadership gift for the “A Home for Peace” Capital Campaign
2001
January 1

Peace wins the Prize for Excellence in Nonprofit Management in Washtenaw County from NEW (Nonprofit Enterprise at Work)